The Origins of Life: From the Birth of Life to the Origin of LanguageIn this fascinating book, John Maynard Smith and Eors Szathmary present an original picture of evolution. They propose that during evolution there have been a number of major transitions in the way in which information is passed between generations. These transitions include the appearance of the first replicating molecules, the emergence of co-operative animal societies, and the unique language ability of humans. Containing many new ideas, this book is contemporary biology on the grandest scale, from the birth of life to the origin of language. |
Contents
| 1 | |
2 The major transitions | 15 |
3 From chemistry to heredity | 31 |
4 From the RNA world to the modern world | 37 |
5 From heredity to simple cells | 47 |
6 The origin of eukaryotic cells | 59 |
7 The origin of sex | 79 |
8 Genetic conflict | 95 |
9 Living together | 101 |
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Common terms and phrases
algae amino acid analogy ancestors animals asexual bacteria bacterium base pairing base sequence behaviour biologists brain cell divides cell membrane cell wall chapter chemical chimpanzees chloroplasts chromosome co-operation codon colony complex copies cyanobacteria cycle daughter cell depends diploid division of labour energy enzymes eukaryotes eukaryotic cells eusociality evolution evolutionary evolved example existing explain favour females Figure function fungi fusion gametes genes genome grammar haploid host idea increase individuals inheritance insect kinds language large number linguistic living major transitions male mechanism meiosis metabolism mitochondria molecules multicellular organisms mutations natural selection needed nucleus offspring organelles organic compounds origin parasites parthenogenetic particular plants plastid problem produce prokaryotes protein recombination relatedness replicating molecules reproduction ribosome ribozyme RNA molecules sexual population similar single small number social species specify structure suggested survival symbionts symbiosis synthesize template transmitted tRNA unlimited heredity vacuole workers